Coke oven door



y 9- e. PADGETT 2,475,512

COKE OVEN DOOR Filed Nov. 24, 1943 3 Shets-Sheet 1 y 1949. G. PADGETT 2,475,512

COKE ovnn noon Filed NOV. 24, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. PADGETT July 5, 1949.

COKE OVEN DOQR Filed Nov. 24, 1943 3 She'ets-Sheet 3 Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COKE OVEN DOOR.

Grady Padgett, Beaver, Pa. Application November 24, 1943, Serial No. 511,618

18 Claims. (01. 202-252) This invention relates to coking ovens and has particular reference to a closure for the'discharge opening of a vertical type oven.

It is believed that coking ovens of the vertical type are recognized, insofar as many factors are concerned, as being more eflicient than the horizontal type oven. There have been a number of problems inherent in the development of an efficient oven of the vertical type and among these has been the problem of a satisfactory selfsealing closure member which will effectively seal the gases formed by the coking operation, which will not require any particular reconstruction or redesigning of the oven flrebrick and the supporting girders therefor because of the heavy load supported by each closure member. and which may be readily manipulated with a minimum of time and labor consumption.

The solution of the above specified problems is,

member of the type specified in which all of the desirable features hitherto specified are incorporated and which is simply constructed and assembled with readily obtainable parts which lend themselves to replacement and substitution without difficulty.

Various other objects and meritorious features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and wherein:

Figure l is a schematic side elevation of a vertical oven battery having associated with one of the ovens my improved closure member;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one half of my improved closure mechanism and latch therefor, the latter being in unlatchedposition;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the structure illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 41s a bottom plan view of the structure illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the door being in latched position;

Fig. 5 is an end view along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section along 9-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section along '|--'I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the bottom sealing plate of the assembly, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective and part sections of the important elements of the latch assembly for retaining the sealing plate of the closure assembly in position.

Referring now to Fig. 1, wherein I have illustrated schematically an improved coke oven of the vertical type described in detail in my copending application Ser. No. 492,915, now Patent No. 2,434,862, the numerals Ill and I2 represent regenerators positioned on each side of each coking oven chamber broadly indicated by the numeral M. As more distinctly brought out in detail in my aforesaid copending application, each of the coking oven chambers is preferably divided by a vertical partition l6 extending between the heating walls on each side of each oven chamber. Girders in the form of I beams l8 support the oven brickwork as well as the assembly comprising my improved closure mechanism broadly des-- ignated in Fig. 1 by the numeral 20. Coke car 22 adapted to receive discharge from the ovens as it is moved beneath the battery is supported on rails in conventional fashion.

The door per se 24 which actually closes the discharge opening at the bottom of the vertical oven consists of firebrick and insulation which are retained in a cast iron container 26. In the embodiment illustrated the firebrick is composed of several sections. The opening closed by the door is formed by jamb castings 28 which may be bolted or otherwise secured either to the flanges of beams l8 which form the structural steelwork supporting the load or to brackets 30 riveted or secured in other suitable fashion to the webs of the beams as illustrated.

The base 32 of cast iron door brick retainer 26 has secured thereto and depending therefrom along the center line into the gas space or chamber later described, as by means of rivets or bolts, a coke load absorbing means or door beam 34 in the form of an I beam which supports the weight of the door and the coke chargein the oven. There is a small clearance 36 between the brick container 26 and the jamb casting 28 delineating the door opening, which space is sufficient to permit escape therethrough of gas generated in the coking oven but insuflicient to pass any of the material being coked. Thus it will be seen that gases generated in the oven mayescape into the space between beams l8 and that these beams carry the weight of the brickwork comprising the coking chamber and the flame flues in addition to the jambs. In addition they support the load of the door and the oven charge through the medium of door beam 34.

Important phases of the invention reside in the manner in which the gas space beneath door 24 and between beams I8 is sealed and in the provision of extremely simple and efficient latching means for retaining the seal and releasing the same so that the sealing closure for the gas space below the oven door comprises a series of clamps 38 secured in opposed relation at spaced intervals along the outer flange at the base of beams l8. These clamps may be secured in any desirable manner, preferably by means of bolts 48 extending therethrough and through the flange of the beam.

Each clamp carries an inclined plane surface as indicated by the numeral 42 cooperable with a reversely inclined plane surface 44 carried on the under face of projecting arms 48 of wedge bars broadly indicated by the numeral 48.

Each wedge bar may comprise a stamped metal channel member 58 into the ends of which are inserted and secured by means of welding or.

otherwise solid metal end members, each of which comprises a shank 52 integral with and offset from projecting arm 46. A shoe 54 providing a channel seat secured in suitable fashion to the base of channel member 58 immediately adjacent each offset projecting arm 46 is adapted to slidably seat a cast steel bar 58 which extends above the channel and is secured as by means of welding or otherwise to the marginal under face of a flexible sealing plate 58.

Wedge bars 48 are held together in a ladderlike structure by means of spaced parallel tie beams 88 which extend transversely of the wedge bars along the length of the gas space beneath the door and are secured to the base of wedge bar channels 58 in some suitable fashion such as by welding. Gussets or reinforcing p1ates 82 extend inwardly in oppositely disposed relation to one another from the tie beams 88 and are to strengthen the bar to be engaged by a door machine for unlatching the closure in a manner to be described more in detail hereafter.

Flexible sealing plate 58 is deformed around its margin to provide an offset portion I58 the under face of which seats on cast steel bars 58. Secured to the under faces of the lower inner flanges of I beams l8 as by means of rivets are machined surfaces against which the upper face of the marginal sealing plate offset 84 is adapted to bear when the closure is latched. In the embodiment illustrated herein these machined surfaces are formed by the side walls of chamelshaped members 88.

While the channel 88 provides two machined surfaces or edges to obtain a double seal against the escape of gas or fluid of any sort from within the gas chamber below the oven door, a single machined surface would suffice in many instances. It is preferable that these surfaces have a width varying between one-eighth and one-half inch. The flexible sealing plate 58 is preferably of relatively thin sheet-metal and smooth surfaced, particularlyalong both faces of the offset portion 54, to cooperate efliciently with the surfaces hearing against it, especially the machined surfaces provided by the member 55, to effect a fluid tight seal when held together under pressure indatched position. f

While I have described and illustrated an inclined plane latch structure for u'rg'ing the: margin of sealing plate 58 upwarddi against the machined surfaces of element 8 and releasing the same from its supporting engagement with beamsupported 0 clamps, tpi particular type of latch mechanism used issfbt material to the invention in its broadest phase. Any suitable means may be used, such as eccentrics, screws, wedges, etc.

r 4 Furthermore,.the wedge bars may have inclined plairges, as illustrated, or a round bar at their outer en Secured to the under face of plate 58 in transverse alignment with one another are slide members 58 in the form of U brackets. These brackets encompass one of the wedge bars 48 permitting relative sliding movement of the ladderlike latch structure comprising wedge bars 48 and integrating tie beams 88. The wedge bar slide members 88 are remote from the extremity of the closure mechanism.

A member 18 accomplishing a function like that of slide member 88 with reference to a wedge bar is secured to the under face of seal plate 58 adjacent each extremity thereof. These, however, are cast members of substantial width, strength and proportions and the leg ll of each is provided with transversely aligned bores 18 which register, respectively, with openings I4 in seal plate 58. The upper extremities of legs II and I8 of member 18 are flanged to provide a supporting surface-for corresponding flanges on transversely spaced beams 18 and transverse beam 18, the upper ends of which are likewise flanged as indicated at 88 and 82 to form a gravity supporting surface for the lower flange of door beam 34. Beams 18 are so arranged that the space 84 between them is in registry with aligned openings 12 and 14, thereby permitting access to the lower flange of door beam 84 from below members l8, exteriorly of the sealed gas space, for a purpose to be more clearly brought out hereafter. The space between transverse beams I8 is rendered gas-tight by covering the ends and top in suitable manner, which covering is not shown except as indicated at 85 and 81 in the sectional view afforded by Fig. 7.

A feature of substantial importance resides in the fact that the oven door structure carrying the coking charge is supported at its ends only so that when a charge is dropped into the oven the deflection that normally occurs when a steel beam is loaded is permitted without placing any appreciable stress on the bottom sealing plate and the oven girders. In the embodiment here illustrated a transverse bar 85 is supported upon the inner lower flanges of beams i8 at each end of the closure assembly and that portion of member 18 immediately below the leg 18 thereof, which is in vertical alignment with beam 18, is supported upon the bars. Thus it will be seen that the oven door beam 84 is supported at its ends only.

Sealing plates 88 and 58 are secured to the flanges of beams II in suitable fashion along the j amb plates 28 and beyond each end of door beam 34 between the upper and lower flanges of beam i8, respectively, to form in conjunction with sealing plate 58 a. gas-tight chamber between said beams and below the oven door 24.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate. as hitherto indicated, one half of the oven door and closure assembly only. The flexible sealing plate 58, however, extends throughout the full length of the discharge opening at the bottom of the oven, as does the door beam 34. Two of the ladder-like wedge bar assemblies are, however, preferably utilized. These assemblies are identical but positioned end to end in such manner that the member I8 associated with each is located at an end of the sealing plate 58 and wedge bar slides 58 are adjacent one another near the central portion of the assembly. There are two independent doors 24 each with its respective container plates 26 and associated lambs 28. Both, however, are

supported by a single door beam 34 and a tie rod -may extend between the two below oven parti in the collecting main.- By keeping the sealing plate 58 cool the need for cleaning the machined surfaces and the plate itself of pitch formed by the heat is toa large extent eliminated.

As stated, the closure mechanism is shown in latched position in Fig. 4 and in unlatched position in Fig. 2. Before opening the oven door to permit discharge of the oven contents into the coke car, the weight of the door and oven charge is transferred to a door extractor on the coke car which may consist in hydraulic mechanism broadly indicated by the numeral 94 provided with spaced prongs-adapted to enter the space 84 between beams I6 and abut the lower flange of door beam 34 and support the same. The gas chamber closure mechanism is then unlatched by engagement of a door machine with gussets 62 which moves each ladder bar or latch assembly outwardly from the center, thereby disengaging the reversely tapered surfaces 42 and 44 on the C clamps and wedge bars, respectively.

After thus transferring the weight of the oven contents and the door 24 and unlatching the sealing plate of the closure mechanism, supporting bars 85 are removed from beneath member I and beam 34 with its door 24 is lowered to permit discharge of the coke into the car below, which moves asnecessary to receive it.

As made clear by the description given hereto- I fore of the closure mechanism for sealing the bottom of the gas chamber, it embodies a sealing plate assembly and a latch assembly actuated through the medium of bars 48, the two being integrated with reference to one another by means of the slide members 68 and members 10 which are secured to the under face of plate 58 and encompass at least two transverse bars, thereby permitting sliding movement of the latch assembly with reference to the plate assembly at least within the limits provided by the legs of the slide members. The reason for splitting the 'ladderlike latch assemblies into two or more sections is because of the possibility that the girders carrying the C clamps may expand more than the latch assemblies.

While it will be apparent from the foregoing description that the broadest phase. of my invention resides in the means whereby oven supporting girdersare utilized to partially enclose the space below the oven door and form a gas chamber, and the arrangement whereby the oven door is supported at its ends only without placing any appreciable stress on the closure assembly sealing the gas chamber, various other phases of the invention reside in the particular type of latch mechanism utilized and its association with the other elements of the assembly. While I have described the invention in conjunction with a specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in theart and for that reason I wish to limitmyself only within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A closure for the discharge opening of a vertical coke oven comprising a refractory door,

' a door support beam extending longitudinally of the door secured to the base thereof and depending therebelow, means supporting the ends only of the base of said door beam, and a gas-tight chamber communicating with said discharge opening, said chamber enclosing the door beam' but including means providing access from the exterior to the supported area of the base thereof. I

2. In a vertical coke oven having a bottom discharge opening, the combination of oven wall supporting beams extending along each side of said opening, a refractory oven door extending into said opening, a door supporting beam extending longitudinally of the door secured to the base thereof and depending therebelow to a point short of the lower margin of the wall supporting beams, end closures and a bottom closure for the; space between the wall supporting beams, a sealed passage through the closure to the base of each end of the door beam, and means including the wall of said passage for supporting each end of the door beam from a point below-the bottom closure.

3. In combination with a vertical coke oven having a discharge opening at the base thereof, a

door movable into and out of said opening, a sealed gas chamber below said discharge opening communicating therewith, and spaced supporting means outside the chamber extending therein and engaging said door at each end, said movable door closing the opening, a gas chamber coextensive with said opening communicating therewith and having a removable bottom closure, passages extending into said chamber from the exterior thereof to the base of said door, the walls thereof constituting a support for the door, and removable means exterior of said chamber supporting the walls of said passages.

5. In combination with the discharge opening of a vertical coke oven, an oven door having a sup porting beam extending along the length of its base, an open-bottomed gas chamber below the door into which said beam extends, a removable closure for the open bottom of said chamber, and means for supporting said beam adjacent the ends thereof only.

6. In combination with the discharge opening of a vertical coke oven, an oven door having a supporting beam extendingalong the length of its base, an open-bottomed gas chamber below the door into which said beam extends, means for supporting said beam adjacent the ends thereof only, and a removable closure for the open bottom of said chamber, said closure including movable latch means cooperable with a side wall of the chamber for retaining the same in closed position.

r 7. In combination with the discharge opening of a vertical coke oven, an oven door having a supporting beam extending along the length of its base, an open-bottomed gas chamber below the door into which said beam extends, means for supporting said beam adjacent the ends thereof only, and a removable closure for the open bottom of said chamber, said closure comprising a sealing plate and slidable latch means integrated auaua therewith cooperable with a wall of said chamber for retaining the plate in closed position.

' faces, a series of transverselyextending bars including means slidably receiving the rails a support secured to the lower portion of each beam, and cam means associated with said transverse bars cooperable with said support on relative longitudinal sliding movement of the transverse bars to urge the rails upwardly and force the sealing plate against the sealing surfaces.

9. In combination with a pair of spaced beams forming the walls of a chamber below a vertical coke oven door, an element having at least, one exposed sealing surface secured to and extending along the underside of each beam, a bottom sealing plate for said space the margin of which is adapted to be urged against said sealing surfaces. a rail secured to the under surface of the margin of said plate in alignment with said sealing surfaces, a series of transversely extending bars including means slidably' receiving the rails, means secured to the underside of said plate slidably receiving said transverse bars to thereby loosely integrate the bar and plate assemblies, a support secured to the lower portion of each beam, and cam means associated with said transverse bars cooperable with said support on relative longitudinal sliding movement of the transverse bars to urge the rails upwardly and force the sealing plate against the sealing surfaces.

10. In combination with a pair of spaced beams forming the walls of a chamber below a vertical coke oven door, an element having at least one exposed sealing surface secured to and extending along the underside of each beam, a bottom sealing plate for said space the margin of which is adapted to be urged against said sealing surfaces, a rail secured to the under surface of the margin of said plate in alignment with said sealing surfaces, a series of transversely extending bars including means slidably receiving the rails, a support secured to the lower portion of each beam, and cam means associated with said transverse bars cooperable with said support on relative longitudinal sliding movement of the transverse bars to urge the rails upwardly and force the sealing plate against the sealing surfaces, said plate being formed to receive means extending therethrough into supporting engagement with the base of the oven door.

11. In combination with a pair of spaced beams forming the walls of a chamber below a vertical coke oven door, an element having at least one exposed sealing surface secured to and extending along the underside of each beam, a bottom sealing plate for said space the margin of which is adapted to be urged against said sealing surfaces, a rail secured to the undersurface of the margin of said plate in alignment with said sealing surfaces, a series of transversely extending bars including means slidably receiving the rails, means secured to the underside of said plate slidably :receiving said transverse bars to thereby loosely lintegrate the bar and plate assemblies, a support secured to the lower portion of each beam, cam means associated with said transverse bars cooperable with said support on relative longitudinal sliding movement of the transverse bars to urge the rails upwardly and force the sealing plate against the sealing surfaces, and a hollow frame extending from said plate into supporting engagement with the base of the oven door, said plate having an opening in register with the hollow of said frame for receiving a load relieving member engageable with the base of the oven door.

12. In combination with parallel supporting beams for the side walls of a coke oven having a dischargeopening therebetween, each of said beams having a sealing surface extending along the base thereof, a flexible sealing plate adapted to bear against said surface to seal the space between said beams, a pair of separate latch mechanisms in end-to-end relation each integrated with said plate and independently cooperable with said beams for urging the plate against the sealing surfaces and releasing the same from engagement therewith, a'd-oor movable in and out of said discharge opening, door supporting means below said sealing plate at each end thereof, and means extending from said supporting means to each end of said door for supporting the same without placing appreciable stress on the sealing plate.

13. In combination with parallel supporting beams for the side walls of a coke oven having a discharge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each of said beams having a sealing surface extending along the base thereof,

, a sealing plate adapted to bear against said surfaces to seal the-space between said beams, means cooperable with said beams for urging the plate against said surfaces, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate being formed to permit entry of means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said load absorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the same to permit lowering said door.

14. In combination with parallel supporting beams for the side walls of a coke oven having a discharge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each of said beams having a machined surface extending along the base thereof, a sealing plate adapted to bear against said surfaces to seal the space between said beams, latch mechanism integrated with said plate and cooperable with said beams for urging the plate against said surfaces, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate being formed to permit entry of means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said load absorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the same to permit lowering said door.

15. In combination with parallel supporting beams for the side walls of a coke oven having a dis-charge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber'below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each of said beams having a sealing surface extending along the base thereof, a sealing plate adapted to bear against said surfaces to seal the space between said beams, latch supporting elements secured to the base of each beam, latch mechanism integrated with said plate and cooperable with said elements for orging the plate against said surfaces and releasing the same from engagement therewith, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate being formed to permit entry oi means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said load absorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the same to permit lowering said door.

it. In combination with parallel supporting beams for the side walls oi a coke oven having a discharge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each of said beams having a sealits surface extending along the base thereof, a sealing plate adapted to bear against said surtacos to seal the space between said beams, elenents including inclined supporting faces secured to the base of each beam, latch mechanism integrated with said plate including inclined faces cooper-able with the inclined supporting faces for urging the plate against the sealing surfaces and releasing the same from engagement therewith, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate being formed to permit entry of means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said loadabsorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the same to permit lowering said door.

1'1. In combination with parallel supporting beams lor the side walls 01 a coke oven havin a discharge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each of said beams having a sealing surface extending along the base there oi, e. sealing plate adapted to bear against solid surfaces to seal the space between. said beams, latch supporting elements secured to the base oi each beam, latch mechanim integrated with said plate and slidable with reference thereto and with reference to said supporting elements cooperable therewith i'or urging the plate against the sealing surfaces and releasing the same from engagement therewith, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate being formed to permit entry of means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said load absorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the some to permit lowering said door.

18. In combination with parallel supporting beams for'the side walls of a colre oven having a discharge opening therebetween, said beams constituting the side walls of a gas chamber below said discharge opening, a door for said opening including load absorbing means depending into said chamber, each oi said beams having a sealing surface extending along the base thereof, a flexible sealing plate adapted to bear against said surface to seal the space between said beams, a pair of separate latch mechanisms each integrated with said olate and independently co operable with said beams for "urging the plate against the sealing surfaces and releasing the same from engagement therewith, and supporting means outside said chamber normally engaged indirectly through said sealing plate with the load absorbing means, said supporting means and sealing plate Ming formed to permit entry of means operable from outside the chamber for temporarily supporting said load absorbing means to disengage the sealing plate while removing the same to permit lowering said door.

GRADY PADGEI'T. 

